Must-Have Tools to Upgrade Your Church Live Stream

What you'll learn

• The $50–$200 upgrades that make the biggest quality difference
• Microphone options that dramatically improve audio clarity
• How a simple lighting upgrade transforms how your stream looks
• When to upgrade your camera vs. improve your other gear first
• Budget-friendly software that unlocks professional-looking broadcasts

Notes

• Take it up a notch by adding multiple camera angles, and phones or tablets can work as cameras.
• Add more video sources, like slides, prerecorded announcements, and your computer screen.
• Audio matters most. People will not stay if it is bad, so plug in a soundboard or external mic.
• Lag can come from your device, your internet, or the platform, and often it is the viewer's connection.
• Send people to Facebook during the live event, then embed the replay on your site afterward.
• Slides to use: welcome, thank you, announcements, giving, past sermons, prayer requests, scripture, and worship lyrics.
• Use lower thirds sparingly, add a small logo bug, and keep graphics full screen so they are readable on phones.
• Short redirect links, like yourchurch.com/give, are easy calls to action.
• Tools covered: browser-based streaming studios, a Mac streaming app, and a multi-phone switcher app.
• Start the stream fifteen minutes early with slides and a countdown, then follow a set order of service.

Companion article

Notes and resources that go with this session